Vehicle engine heater



Oct. 7, 1952 w. LA MlRAND 2,613,307

VEHICLE ENGINE HEATER Fi led March 16, 1950 BY 1 E ITTa/VIVFK Patented Oct. 7, 1952 Walter La Mirand, Detroit, -Mich., assignor to Glassheat, 1110., Detroit, Mich, a corporation of Michigan Application March 16, 1950, Serial No.'1 50,061

1 This invention relates to a portable and easily transportable device for quickly warming up cold automobile and truck engines in cold weather.

Frequently fleets of trucks, aswell as passenger cars, are stored on open lots overnight or for longer periods. In climates where winter temperatures fall to zero or below, great difiiculty is encountered in starting the engines of these vehicles after they have been idle for some time. The oil in the crankcases becomes thick in cold weather and the starting batteries are in many instances exhausted without getting the engines started. In addition, engines are frequently damaged when started cold because of the lack to the engine in a short time with portable "and economical equpiment.

Other objects and advantages of my invention will be apparent from the following description claims. (01. 219-19) when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of my improved engine heater;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken along the line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken along the line 3-3 of Fig. 2, showing the erected position of the heating plate in broken lines; and

Fig. 4 is a partial perspective showing the device in its operating position.

Referring to the figures, it may be seen that the device comprises a main frame 10 preferably constructed of steel or aluminum angle section. The frame has legs I l at its forward corners and wheels I 2 mounted at each side near its rear end by means of flat sub-axle supports I3. A tubular handle or tree l4 provided at its outer end with a hand gripping portion I5 is secured to the frame Ill by bolts 16 and Il, the latter being carried by a fiat reinforcing strut l8 mounted on the frame between the side pieces thereof.

For convenience in shipping, the handle is preferably made in two sections, the outer section telescopin within the rear section as illustrated.

A secondary or sub-frame I9 is movably mounted on the main frame ill by means of four links 20. The latter are suitably pivoted at their ends block 21.

z 7 to the angle sections of the main fr me and sub frames respectively'and permit the latter to be moved upwardly and forwardly relative to the mainframe for' purposes whi'ch will presently appear.

- The sub-frame 19 carries a sheet-like heating element 2|. This element is preferably of glass with metal alloy fused on the back to form a resistance path for electrical current. However. any other type of element of sheet form may be used provided'it iscapable of radiating heat rays efliciently.

The heating element 2! is secured in the subframe is by welded tabsflZ- carried by the side members and a tab 23 carried by the rear down turned 'anglesection. The tab '23 may be detachably securedto the framesu'ch that removal thereof will enable easy' replac'ement' of the glass plate by sliding it from under the tabs 22. The metal alloy constituting the heat generating means is bonded to a suitable flexible cord 24 adaptedto be plugged into an electrical power outlet. I

The sub-frame i9 is'yie'ldably retained in its Figure 1- position byacoil spring 25, the frame bed resting on the cross members 25 which'are carried by the links 29 (see Fig. 4). The spring 25 is secured at its ends to the rear members of the frames In and IS respectively and serves to keep the sub-frame in down position and to return it to that position from its operating position as will be later described.

The rear cross member 26 carries a pulley A similar block 28 is carried by the front angle section member of the main frame I0. A flexible cable 29 provided with a gripping handle 30 is trained through the aforesaid pulley blocks as illustrated and fastened at its rear end to the rear cross member 26. A pair of eye members 3! guide the cable along the handle I4 and the rearwardly disposed eye also serves as a fastening means for the two tubular handle sections. A clamp, generally designated at 32, is provided to lock the cable in any selected position.

-When not in use, my engine heater may be stored fiat or stood up against a wall in its rear frame member with the sub-frame in down position as illustrated in Fig. 1. To use the device. the cord 24 is plugged in to a source of electrical current and the frame portion is positioned beneath a motor vehicle engine which is easily accomplished by grasping the handle portion [5 and lifting the forward end of the heater, thereby permitting it to be wheeled on the wheels I2.

Theheater may then be placed in operating condition by erecting the sub-frame 19. This is accomplished by grasping the handle 30 and pulling the cable 29 forwardly whereupon the frame 19 will be moved upwardly and forwardly. It is desirable to place the heater plate 2| as close as possible to the bottom of the engine about to be started. If possible, the frame 19 may be pulled toits extreme forwardposition. This is an over-center position with the rear links 20 resting against stops 32 carried by the main frame side members.

To retain the sub-frame in its erected position against the tension of the spring 25, the clamp 32 is manipulated to clamp the cable 29 against movement. r

Clamp 32 may also be used to hold the subframe in positions intermediate its extreme up and down positions, thus providing for cases where the engine or chassis is too lowfor the full up position.

When it is desired to withdraw .the heater from under the vehicle, the clamp 32 released. The spring 25 will then draw-the sub-frame down to the'position shownin Fig. 1. CItis'desirable during lowering of the sub-frame for the operator to grasp the handle .30 .for the purpose of slowing the return of the sub-frame and avoid breakage of the glass plate. 4

It may thus beseen that I have provided an extremely simple and useful device for Warming cold motor vehicle engine, although it is obvious that the usefulness thereof is not confined entirely to this use.

While I have shown for illustrative purposes a preferred form of my device, it will be apparent .to those skilled inthe art that the invention need not take the identical form shown, but various changes may be madetherein without departing from the scope and spirit'thereof as set forth below in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a'portable heater for vehicle-engines, a main frame, a sub-frame movable vertically with respect tosaid mainframe, an electrically ene rradiant heater for warming motor vehicle engines comprising, a main frame, wheels mounted on said main frame for transporting said heater,

a sub-frame, an;electrica1ly energized heating element mounted on said sub-frame links pivoted to said respective frames for mounting the sub-frame on the main frame and permitting gizedheat radiating element carried by saidvsubrelative movement therebetween thereby to adjust the elevation of said element, a handle carried by and extending outwardly from th main 'frameycable means carried on said handle and connected to said frames such that the sub-frame may be moved relative to the main frame by pulling"'said .cable means, and clamping means carried by said handle for locking said cable in selected positions.

inThe combination of claim 4 wherein a tension springis connected between said frames for resisting movement of said-sub-frame.

WALTER. LA MIRAND.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

